


Theft of the Collector

by Chairantula



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-20 23:33:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17631863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chairantula/pseuds/Chairantula
Summary: Relica, a Ravager of the ShootingScar faction, has been entrusted with her Captains business affairs relating to Taneleer Tivan. After her first visit to the museum, the pair begin to conduct business of their own. // Will contain smut, fluff, light kink themes





	1. Plotting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relica and Taneleer meet officially

The building, a darkened monolith even in the dim belly of Knowhere, loomed against a hazy backdrop of distant lights. She looked down at the slip of paper that her captain had handed her to double check and make sure she was at the right location.  
Before she could step forward to enter a pink tinted woman stepped out and paused when she noticed Relica standing a few feet away. She seemed surprised but she said nothing of it. Instead she greeted the visitor and ushered her inside stiffly.

The woman led Relica into the shadowy depth of Taneleer's museum, most of the light seemed to emanate from the countless displays surrounding them. The woman stopped and turned to Relica then abruptly, and loudly, began to introduce Relica to the very man she came to see, the man who didn't even appear to be in the room with them. Nel wasn't sure if the woman noticed and she gave her a queer brow raise which the other looked through as she recited her script.

No sooner had she finished did somebody appear out from some darkened passage, their movements slow, deliberate. Even without the introduction Relica knew it was him. There was no mistaking that the silver-haired, sturdily built and finely attired man was The Collector. Having anticipated her arrival, the woman introduced Relica to Taneleer who peered across the space at her in silent scrutiny. During his approach his gaze didn't once leave her until he was a few feet away where he then looked directly at the woman, who he referred to as Carina, and excused her. He didn't wait for his servant to vanish before he took Relica's hand into his and gently touched his lips to the top, his eyes rising to meet hers. She wasn't accustomed to such formality and her cheeks, as well as her pointed ears, went ablaze. Although the custom was widely practiced, there was something about his steely gaze that made her body freeze in place. His words had filled her head but her mind was too entranced to decode them.

"I trust you have brought the item?" he asked in a slow and drawling way once he stood upright again, one gloved hand traced the delicate gold chain that rested against his broad chest.

Relica snapped out of her trance and gave him a concise nod. "From Captain ShootingScar's own private collection."

She couldn't be sure but she thought she saw the corners of his mouth attempt a smirk. If she were able to read minds, she would have known that her slight accent had intrigued him almost as much as her appearance alone. Her ears, like that of a Human's, came to a soft point two inches further back than a normal ear did. Her almond eyes, as green as his Ormuvian Ivy, seemed to glow in the faint light. Most intriguing, however, were her hands that had only three fingers and a thumb, her pinky lower than the rest almost as if trying to be a secondary thumb. He noticed this when he'd taken her hand earlier and had to resist the urge to hold it longer to examine it, feel it's soft warmth through his fine white gloves.

Even as he reached out to receive the item that was encased in a thick, metal box, his eyes lingered a little longer than what she was used to when she was doing hand-offs. Taneleer unlocked the case and took the item out to examine it- a tiny metallic device with a single azure stone at it's tip. After a long moment of turning it this way and that, holding it up to a few different sources of light then running his fingers over it, he encased the precious parcel in his palms and looked at Relica for a long moment. "Wonderful." he breathed. "Exactly what I have been waiting for."

Relica looked to his hands even though she couldn't see the device that her Captain had surrendered to Taneleer for who knew how many credits. "Captain ShootingScar thought you'd be especially eager for it." she offered, unsure of what else to say. She wasn't sure exactly what it was they were exchanging but it had meant a great deal to her Captain and Taneleer both.

"She would be absolutely correct." he agreed, his tone somewhat ominous. Having completed her task, Relica awaited further instruction from Taneleer who turned and drifted towards another attendant who took the item then vanished somewhere beyond her scope of view. When he faced her again, she expected he would be surprised that she was still there but rather he offered a smile that looked oddly foreboding on his weathered face. "You must tell me from where Captain ShootingScar acquired you?"

Surprised by his interest, she stammered then said, "The slave market. I was a toddler."

A single, white brow rose as he turned his head just so. "The slave market, you say?" he tutted, "A pity."

Unsure of what he was getting at, Relica remained quiet until he rejoined her at her side and urged her back in the direction from which she came. One hand came to rest on the small of her back as he guided her through the building, her finely tuned nose was flooded with his dizzying, piquant scent. She wanted to bury her face in the rich red fibers of his vest and press into his warm body but the mere thought of it made her face boil again. Instead she focused on the feeling of his hand pressing into her back.  
They made small talk about how long she had been a Ravager and if there were more of her kind, then as they encroached upon the foyer, he stopped, his hand remaining pressed against her.  
"Should I expect your visits in the future?"  
  
Relica took a moment to think. Captain ShootingScar came across many items which she traded, bought and sold through her and it seemed plausible that she might do business with Taneleer again so she said, "I expect so. My Captain is a bit of a trader herself."  
  
He seemed pleased with this answer, his hand trailing up her spine before suddenly vanishing. "Be sure it is you who she sends if she should find herself in need of my affluence."  
  
A coy smile blossomed across her face, "I will definitely see to that."

Their gaze was locked, his flickering to her lips for a split moment before he gave a shallow nod and turned to tend to his affairs. Carina reappeared and escorted Relica through the foyer and back out into Knowhere silently. Later that night, she dreamed of his tannum eyes and his scent re-entered her mind. Before she knew what was happening, she was waking in the dead of night, her sex pulsing and fleeting images of Taneleers face quickly fading the more awake she became. She hummed with annoyance and tried to will herself back to sleep, back into the swirling dream of being pressed against his body, his hands searching curves and his lips trailing along her jawline.

The next time Captain ShootingScar sent her to the museum, she wasn't sure how well she would be able to hide her amorous under-thoughts.


	2. Heist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relica returns with a little more planned than a simple hand-off. Taneleer evidently has the same idea.

The very next visit to Taneleer's museum, Relica's heart felt as though it were thumping against her ribs and threatening to burst through if she didn't do something to placate it. She knew exactly what it was she wanted to do, but she dared not dream it possible. Her visit wasn't an errand from her Captain- this time it was her own. Through a series of complicated exchanges, Relica got her hands on an item Taneleer was interested in and he had something a trader she knew wanted. It was the perfect excuse to see him again. 

Carina went through the same tiresome ritual she had the last time Relica dropped by then was promptly excused by Taneleer. He took her hand into his again and this time pressed his lips more firmly into the soft skin on the top, the gesture a little longer than it had been the first time. Instead of letting go, he gently pulled her forward by her hand and took his spot somewhat behind her and to the side as he guided Relica to a table where he would examine the item; a thinly sliced geode containing ancient scripture of a lost civilization. 

Once they reached the table, he released her and came around to stand where he could best scrutinize the piece. Relica removed the item from her satchel then carefully unwrapped it and set it under a glaring light. Taneleer pulled a set of goggles over his eyes and leaned in close, his lips moved as he read the ancient text. 

"You can read that?" Relica ventured to ask, but she did so softly in case he was concentrating. 

Taneleer finished what he was reading then he stood erect, sliding the goggles onto his forehead. "I learned this script when I was but a boy. I have not had many opportunities to practice since." he seemed to relish. "Come, look."

Hesitantly, unsure of what she would do if her head were to fill again with his musk, Relica joined Taneleer who held a large glass over the geode. What appeared to be naturally occurring, cilia thin fractures were, in fact, engravings filled with unfathomably minute amounts of silver. 

"Wow, it's beautiful. How did they manage that?" she asked breathlessly. 

Taneleer chuckled beside her, "They were very tiny creatures, no bigger than, oh-" he trailed off and Relica looked up at him to find his gaze was, again, locked onto her. She couldn't bring herself to look away even though her mind screamed for her to avert her gaze. "a single eyelash." he finished, the tips of his fingers coming up to gently take her chin. The silence that followed seemed to stretch forever yet not as long as it took for their lips to meet.   
He was gentle, pressing softly at first, then he urged her lips apart and invited himself between them. She surprised herself with how eagerly she received him but even more surprising was his desire to kiss her at all. It took her completely by surprise, although his lingering stare, his soft touches and earnest kisses to her hand seemed to fall into place now. 

As he parted, a soft sound came from his throat like a pleased hum. She dared her eyes to stay closed just a little longer than necessary, savoring the moment. When they opened, he was still looking down to her with a hungry gleam in his eyes. 

"You must have gone through quite a bit of trouble to acquire this." he droned, his low and even tone vibrating the hungry creature inside of her. His brows rose as a thin smile creeped across his face. "I imagine you are fetching quite a sum for this errand."

It was Relica's turn to grin coyly, "You could say that."

His eyes glided down to the geode for a brief moment, his head tilted down towards the table, then his eyes returned to hers without him facing her. "This has survived several centuries. Being now in the safest location it could possibly be in, it would not hurt for it to wait further." he deadpanned. 

Relica blinked, unsure if he was saying what she thought or if it was wishful thinking. "I'm sure it's a master of patience by now." she returned carefully. 

Taneleer took her by the hands, at fist holding her fingers between his, then he laced them together as he said, "You did not come just to drop off an engraved rock, did you?" he challenged. 

Face burning again, Relica opened her mouth to speak but whatever it was she wanted to say only got caught in her dry throat. Taneleer brought her hands up, turning them so he could kiss the backs of both all the while maintaining eye contact with her as she stared, stupefied. Finally she managed to say, "N-no. Well yes but-" she swallowed hard, the dryness making her feel as though she would gag. Luckily she didn't and she was able to continue, "I needed to see you again." she admitted sheepishly. 

"My darling, do not be bashful." he assured, his tone danced on the edge of laughter. "I would not have given that rock a second glance if it were anybody else presenting it."

Embarrassed that she'd brought something he didn't really care for, Relica glanced off to the side. He felt her unease and pulled her against him, his hands coming to rest on her hips as her own found his chest. "Do not look so abashed. You have brought me something far more valuable."

Again he pressed his lips to hers this time growling into her mouth with longing. Once his lips left hers, he didn't pull away. Instead he danced them along her jaw up to the soft flesh of her earlobe, then down the side of her neck where he pressed his teeth against her throbbing jugular. Hardly able to believe that it was happening, that Taneleer was clutching her against him as he dotted her with kisses right in the heart of his museum, Relica couldn't help but to giggle. 

Taneleer pulled back and at first she thought she'd upset him, but he had a dreamy look on his face- an expression of a man drunk with want. "I must have you." he rasped on a thin breath. 

Relica slid her hands to his neck and urged her body against his. "Then take me." she purred. 

Wasting no time, Taneleer whisked her away down through a darkened corridor and up a short flight of steps that deposited them into his expansive and lavish private quarters. She had no time to take in the sumptuous setting before she found herself being laid upon an expansive bed whose sheets were cool against her skin. When she felt his weight over her, she reached up and slid her hands over his shoulders- in part to make him pause but also to keep him close by. 

“Isn’t this a bit..risky?” she asked just above a whisper. 

“For whom?” asked Taneleer with a tone tinged in nonchalance. 

She was tempted to seek further assurance but she was drowning in desire. She had seen him before, heard of him more and even after meeting him she didn’t dare entertain the idea that she could actually persuade him to take any interest in her.   
Now, laying beneath him as he ran his lips along her neck, she couldn’t be sure with what she was more intoxicated with; lust or incredulity.   
She laid stiffly beneath him suddenly very aware of the fact that he probably had thousands of lovers before her and would have countless more after. 

Feeling her wariness, Taneleer sat up, “What troubles you, darling?”   
The darkness of her cheeks went from being caused by arousal to embarrassment. “Nothing-” she said quickly. “Just a little out of practice.”

“Just relax.” he said soothingly, slowly. 

She closed her eyes softly and let her grip loosen. His hands slid up beneath her shirt gliding over her soft skin and palming the sides of her chest- at some point, he had covertly removed his pristine white gloves. The pad of his thumbs brushed the soft curve of her breasts. Her shirt was disposed of followed by her bralette leaving her topless and exposed to his awestruck stare. 

“Exquisite.” she heard him breathe before his fingertips carefully grazed down the center of her abdomen until they came together just below her navel. 

He shifted her further up on the bed then positioned himself between her thighs bringing her legs up and over his hips. Though she still had her pants on and he was fully dressed, save for his cloak, she could feel his hardened length urging against her rear. He deftly unfastened her pants and slid everything off then immediately ran his palms over the tops of her thighs, fingers digging into the soft flesh where her legs connected to her body. He drank her visage as though she were a glass of wine he hadn’t yet ever tasted. He savored the unspoiled image of her lying beneath him, eager and receptive. 

Her eyes moved from his bulge, hidden by the shadows and his dark pants but she could feel it, and up along his trunk then they locked onto his gaze. “You’re still dressed.” She pointed out somewhat in jest and somewhat unsure about why it was he hadn’t removed any consequential piece of clothing. 

His hands pressed into her thighs, his groin driving harder into hers, “Patience, my dear.” he droned. “Collecting for as long as I have, there is a lesson I keep close to heart.” Taneleer informed as his tannum eyes roved over her dips and curves. 

“What might that be?”

His gaze stopped then suddenly met hers, “If you relish anticipation, it can be just as rewarding as the act itself. Whether it is acquiring a rare artifact, priceless piece of culture or-” His fingertips traced crests of her throbbing lips making her sex ache further. “Making love.”

Her eyes fell from his and she glanced off to the side. She knew it was just an embellished way of saying ‘fuck’, but it sounded a lot more sentimental than she imagined it deserved.   
All of the sidestepping the sex, dressing her down while he removed nothing and explored her body with his hands, was starting to make her feel like some spectacle, a toy, and not like a woman he desired to have. 

She turned her head and closed her eyes, willing herself to stop overthinking. 

Taneleer leaned over and delicately brushed a lock of hair from her face which made her look back up at him, the silken pillowcase loud against her ears. “Shall I go?” he asked gently. 

Relica blinked then reached up and gripped his wrists in her hands. “No.”

The following minutes were a blur of Taneleer slowly removing articles of his own clothing piece by piece every so often when he wasn’t surfing the rises and falls of her form with his hands or lips. So lost in her shroud of concupiscence, she didn’t realize she was being held against his body until her face sank into the warm flesh of his neck, arms sliding up and over his shoulders to encircle his head.   
At first, he sat upright with her pinned against him so that he could feel her soft warmth and pulse against him, so he could slide his arms around her fully, then he expertly curved his body so that they both were lowered into the bed. His solid form crouched over hers like a predator coveting it’s catch- Relica arched, body searching for his. 

Free from the confines of his clothing, a small but dense medallion thudded against her sternum as he drew in to take her lips between his again. He embraced her as the tip of his member slipped between the lips of her sex allowing his shaft to rest between her warm, wet folds.   
Feeling the taut and heavy organ pulsing against her, Relica mewled softly into his mouth. Taneleer pulled back just enough so he could watch her yearning splay across her face. Her visible need intensified his own. With his arms beneath her, separating her from the bed, he gripped her shoulders and shifted his hips so that his tip was nudging against her tight opening.   
The hot, slick flesh made his cock twitch violently which in turn made her hips jerk against him. 

“Easy, my lovely.” he murmured into the curve of her neck. 

Relica hummed poutily but did as she was told despite how her body and instincts moaned for respite.   
Although he coiled within his skin to stake his claim on the rare and stunning creature that lay beneath him, he knew that she wasn’t like the countless rarities he stowed away in displays cases or the innumerable women before her that he bedded simply because he could. She was not a thoughtless object thrust into his possession nor was she some transient female seeking the privilege to say had been chosen by The Collector. She had been bold but not shameless- she wanted him truly. 

A part of him anticipated a fast-paced romp to bring him cantilevering over the edge and back but by the time they’d both collapsed in exhaustion, Carina was searching for him to deliver his morning tea.   
Relica laid beside him in a deep sleep and he slid a silken sheet over her when Carina appeared in his doorway. The slave girl was visibly surprised but she recovered quickly and pretended not to notice as she gave a shallow bow. 

“None for my guest?” he inquired quietly. 

She bowed again, this time apologetically then she quickly handed Taneleer his tea before scurrying away to fix Relica a mug.  
He sat up fully and listened to the sound of fading footsteps then Relica rolled over with a sleepy murmur.   
She very suddenly opened her eyes and shot up onto her elbows. Taneleer sipped his tea languidly as she put the pieces of her night together. She brushed her hair from her face and sat up with a sigh. 

“How are you feeling, my dear?” he asked giving her a sidelong brow-raise. 

“I don’t think I’ve slept like that in years.” She half-giggled then she winced. “Still a little sore though. And stiff.”

He chuckled lightly, “I will have Carina bring you something.”

After a while of silence, Taneleer contently sipping his tea, Relica brought the sheets up to her chest. “I should go.” she said softly. 

He faced her and rose his brows, “Should you? I apologize if I have kept you, darling.”

“No, no. I’m uh..on a leave, sorta.” she inhaled and continued, “I didn’t mean to uhm-” she trailed off, unsure of how to word what she was feeling. She suspected she was supposed to have gone when they’d finished or before he woke but there he was sipping tea as she was peeling her head from her pillow. 

“At least stay for tea.”  
She blinked at him as he sat looking off at nothing in particular as though he’d said nothing. With a nod, she sat forward just as Carina returned. She accepted her tea, both of them keeping their eyes down, then sat back and held her mug just to feel it’s warmth and watch the steam skate from the surface. 

“Carina.” he called as the woman was reaching the door. “Relica has pains.” he said unabashedly.   
Relica blushed and glanced up at Carina who’s face flashed with animosity but she obediently nodded and turned to leave.  
They both drank their tea indolently and spoke softly about nothing in particular. Carina returned with a delicate glass vial half-full with a powder. It was horribly bitter and she nearly choked on it but the tea washed it away though the tickling remained.

She coughed lightly and said, “Did you just poison me?”

Taneleer gave his mug to Carina, “In its raw form, that particular painkiller can be quite off putting. However, it is the most efficient form.”

Upon noticing Carina still standing at the bedside, he rose a brow. “Yes?”

“Master, if you are ready for breakfast, I will start preparations. Will your..guest..be staying?”

“I believe so.” He quickly replied surprising Carina and Relica both. 

Carina’s gaze lingered on Taneleer then moved to Relica. Her expression hadn’t changed yet her eyes held a nearly faultlessly masked malice.  
“Yes, Master.”

She bowed again and left them alone. Relica set her mug to the side quietly and he spoke, “I hope that I did not overstep my boundaries?”

Her eyes rose sharply. “N-no. I just didn’t expect that. I mean uh. Y’know.” she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m usually supposed to have been long gone by now.”

“What about this is usual?”

She couldn’t help but grin a little, a laugh making her shoulders gently shake.

“Come, let us dress. I will have Carina bring you clothing. Kaneel is an excellent chef. It is the least I could do for afflicting you so.”

“Well, you’re just a gentleman through and through, aren’t you?” she snickered. 

They both dressed between playful gropes and kisses then stepped back out into the museum. Carina had brought Relica a lightweight, earth-tone robe of sorts that fit her snuggly but felt like nothing more than a soft breeze on her skin.   
They ate somewhere deep inside of his museum with only one attendant standing at the ready. When they were finished, Carina presented Relica with her freshly laundered clothes which she quickly changed into. She knew ShootingScar would wonder where she was.   
When she handed Carina her clothes, Taneleer insisted she take them with her as they’d fit so well and would otherwise sit unused for some unknown amount of time. She bashfully accepted the folded bundle wrapped in linen. This time Taneleer escorted her to the exit himself. 

“You need not waste your time and resources procuring a reason to come see me, my dear. You already have one.”

She laughed sheepishly. “Is it really a piece of junk?”

“No, that truly is a priceless iota of that species rich and mysterious culture.” he remarked very seriously.

She blinked, “Well I sure as hell hope. It wasn’t easy getting that thing.”

He took her hands into his with a one-side smile then he kissed the tops tenderly. “Until next time, my lovely.”

He stood erect and peered down at her then she quickly stepped forward just long enough to kiss him softly on the lips. With a smirk, she turned and sauntered away but she glanced over her shoulder once before turning a corner. 

When Relica returned to her faction, nobody was the wiser. It wasn’t unusual for her to vanish for a day or two yet somehow ShootingScar gave her a knowing and harmless eyeroll. 

“Gonna take on more independant assignments?” the Captain asked as Relica came up beside her on the deck. 

“Maybe. A certain market is really hot right now.”

“Normally I would forbid fraternizing as it would endanger our relations, but, “ Captain ShootingScar turned her head to the other, “If this goes terribly wrong, it will not come back on us, it will come back only on you. Given our long standing agreement with Tivan, we can do nothing to retaliate or protect you from his wrath should he take it upon you. That will endanger our relations and I’m sure you understand that we simply cannot destroy that. So choose wisely.”

Captain ShootingScar left decidedly and Relica sighed as she watched deepspace whizz by them.


End file.
